A 61-year-old driver, Peter Ezeala and a welder Elochukwu Igwilo, 27 have been remanded in a correctional services centre after their arraignment for defiling four siblings aged 10 , 8, 5 and 11months at Umudim, Nnewi North Local Council of Anambra State.
The state commissioner of police, Echeng Echeng, who confirmed the incident, admonished parents/guardians to be careful of who they leave their children/wards with.
He said: “Following a complaint from Mrs. Oliya in Umudim Nnewi on a case of defilement of her four daughters, operatives swung into action and arrested the two suspects namely; Peter Ezeala from Mbano, Imo State and Mr. Elochukwu Igwilo form Ekwusigo LGA, Anambra State.
“Information reveals that the mother of the victims, is a trader and always left the children under the care of the suspects when ever she went out for her business.
“However, this bacome an opportunity for the suspects to take advantage of these kids. “The ages of these children are 10, 8, 5 and 11months respectively.”
Echeng said the case has been charged to court and the suspects remanded in the correctional services centre, while the case was adjourned.
But addressing newsmen on the issue, Executive Directors of Davina Care Foundation and Creative Minds Centre For Youth and Community Development, Mrs. Rachel Yohanna and Mrs. Ugochi Freeman, said the crime was reported at the Central Police Station in Nnewi on February 18 and the suspects were arrested.
According to Yohanna, the girls were taken to Ntasi Centre, where it was confirmed that they were defiled, adding that the mother of the children, said she came back one day and heard one of their neighbours telling her 10-year-old daughter to report the defilement to her.
“She interrogated her daughter further and she was told the two suspects have been defiling her four daughters whenever she goes out to sell ‘Abacha’.
“She took the first two daughters (aged 10 and eight) to Ntasi Centre, where their result came out positive.
“At that point, the hospital asked her to bring her other two daughters (aged five and 11 months) for test and the results were positive,” Yohanna said.
She stressed that the victims have been on treatment, while the case had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) Awka, for further investigation.
